By Olivia Le Poidevin

GENEVA (Reuters) -UNICEF said on Tuesday essential items including syringes to vaccinate children and bottles for baby formula are being denied entry into Gaza by Israel, preventing aid agencies from reaching those in need in the war-devastated territory.

As UNICEF undertakes a mass children's vaccination campaign with a fragile ceasefire in place, it said it faces serious challenges getting 1.6 million syringes and solar-powered fridges to store vaccine vials into Gaza. The syringes have awaited customs clearance since August, UNICEF said.

ISTANBUL (Reuters) -A Turkish prosecutor has demanded a potential prison sentence of more than 2,000 years for Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who has been jailed since March pending trial on corruption charges that he and his main opposition party deny.

The indictment, presented by the Istanbul Chief Prosecutor, accuses Imamoglu and 401 others of involvement in a graft network that allegedly caused 160 billion lira ($3.81 billion) in damages to the state over a 10-year period.

($1 = 41.9551 liras)

By Maria Cheng

TORONTO (Reuters) -As the latest meeting of the Group of Seven’s foreign ministers begins in Canada on Tuesday, Canada's foreign minister Anita Anand said the agenda will focus on issues including Arctic security, the war in Ukraine and securing peace in the Middle East.

Amid the current era of "geopolitical volatility," Anand said her U.S. counterpart Marco Rubio has been "a very constructive member" of the G7 and commended the U.S. for its efforts to secure peace in the Middle East.

Thieves made off with several ancient gold ingots from Syria's national museum in Damascus, a security source and another close to the institution's management said Tuesday.

The museum was spared during Syria's destructive civil war that ran from 2011 to late last year, and houses priceless artefacts dating back to antiquity.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -The Israeli parliament has advanced a bill that would mandate the death penalty for Palestinian militants convicted of killing Israeli citizens, with some lawmakers believing it would prevent future prisoner-release deals.

In a vote held late on Monday - the first of four needed for the measure to become law - the bill passed with 39 in favour and 16 against, out of 120 lawmakers.

ANKARA (Reuters) -The foreign ministers of Turkey and Egypt will discuss the Gaza ceasefire and international efforts to rebuild the enclave once the war is over during talks in Ankara on Wednesday, a Turkish foreign ministry source said on Tuesday.

NATO member Turkey has been one of the most vocal critics of Israel's two-year assault on Gaza, calling it a genocide, which Israel denies. Along with Egypt and Qatar, it has helped mediate the fragile ceasefire, emerging as a crucial player and vowing to monitor the strict implementation of the accord.

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) -At least 12 people were killed in a suicide bombing outside a local court in Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Tuesday, the country's interior minister said.

(Reporting by Asif Shahzad, writing by Shilpa Jamkhandikar; Editing by YP Rajesh)

Hundreds of Israelis bid farewell to army officer Hadar Goldin, who was laid to rest Tuesday in the central town of Kfar Saba after Hamas returned his remains more than a decade after his death in Gaza.

Crowds packed the military cemetery, with some climbing onto rooftops to glimpse the funeral, while others filled the streets and watched on a large outdoor screen.

Blue-and-white Israeli flags fluttered in the wind, as mourners held the young lieutenant's portrait alongside a homemade banner reading: "We will remember forever."

By Alexander Cornwell

MANAMA (Reuters) -A de facto partition of Gaza between an area controlled by Israel and another ruled by Hamas is increasingly likely, multiple sources said, with efforts to advance U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to end the war beyond a ceasefire faltering.

Six European officials with direct knowledge of the efforts to implement the next phase of the plan told Reuters it was effectively stalled and that reconstruction now appeared likely to be limited to the Israel- controlled area.

That could lead to years of separation, they warned.

ABU DHABI (Reuters) -Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister said on Tuesday the U.S. was sending Tehran contradictory messages about nuclear talks through third countries.

Iran wants to reach "a peaceful nuclear agreement" but will not compromise on national security, Saeed Khatibzadeh told the 12th Abu Dhabi Strategic Debate. He reiterated Tehran's position that it does not seek nuclear bombs.

(Reporting by Samia Nakhool and Parisa Hafezi, writing by Elwely Elwelly; Editing by Andrew Heavens)